It has happened! We made it to 2021, and 2020 is now history. Although it was a trying year in so many ways, there were still many things for which to be thankful. For me, my favorite times from the last month of 2020 are part of those things. December was pretty uneventful for me until Christmas week.
Favorite #1
On the 19th, my granddaughters were all excited to let me know their mom had started Messenger Kids accounts for them. They loved showing me all of the effects they could use on that app, and we had fun together playing around with that for a while.
Helen sent me a video of herself in the tiger mask effect, and when she would open her mouth wide, it would even do the tiger growl. Here’s a screen shot of part of that video:
Edie did the tiger mask effect, too, and I did some effects of my own.
I wish my teeth really were that white and that straight! Ha! We had a good time!
Favorite #2
As always, most of my favorites center around time spent with family and friends. Pretty much just family most of this year thanks to COVID.
My daughter Cara and her husband Paul arrived on the 21st with the girls after social distancing and getting COVID testing done. Thank God for the negative results! The girls and I didn’t waste any time and started right in the next day with our cookie baking!
The girls and I did the baking, and everybody was in on the decorating. Here’s some of the finished product:
Favorite #3
I’ve known for a few years that there is an ice skating rink in Fort Worth, but I hadn’t seen it until we went to the Coyote Drive-in back at Thanksgiving time. They’re both right there at the same place. On Christmas Eve, Big Eagle and I went with the Bovets to watch them skate. That’s right, WATCH. If it was roller skating, I would have joined in, but I was happy to observe and take pictures at the ice skating rink.
Here’s Edie on the ice!
Helen with Cara behind:
Paul and Helen skating together:
Favorite #4
Paul has been learning to play guitar, so before they came up, I asked if he would bring his guitar with him. He did! On Christmas Eve before the girls went to bed, they were both allowed to open one gift, and afterward, he played Jingle Bells, and we all sang along. I loved hearing him strum whenever he brought out his guitar while they were here!
Favorite #5
Christmas morning started out with a BIG favorite for me. Since the girls were here, I could witness their delight with their gifts from Santa!
He brought each of them a sparkly beautiful blue party dress! And Edie had a giant unicorn patiently waiting for her under the tree, too!
Both of the girls are fans of Little House on the Prairie. I think they’ve watched all the reruns. Helen had asked Santa for a prairie dress, so she could dress up like Laura Ingalls, and there it was under the tree!
😍😍😍
Favorite #6
Later in the day another favorite event…we were all able to Facetime with my son Danny and his wife Erin who celebrated Christmas in their new home in Lithuania!
Favorite #7
Danny and Erin had sent Big Eagle and I the game Parks for a Christmas gift. We played it with Paul and Cara a couple of times. It was a little complicated to learn all the rules, but after playing it once, we had a better feel for it. It gets a big thumbs up!
Favorite #8
The last day the Bovets were here, Cara and I took the girls to a park to play. The first one we went to had quite a few people without masks around, so we looked for another one. Happily, the next one we tried had NOBODY else there, so the girls were able to play freely. The smiles on their faces as they played were worth it!
Favorite #9
The Bovets went home the next day, so things got pretty quiet again. I spent my time taking down the Christmas tree and returning/exchanging gifts. Before I knew it, it was New Year’s Eve. Danny and Erin called that morning, and we had a great conversation. Danny is hopeful that the cruise industry gets back into motion at some point in the new year, so he can get back to his job with Scenic Cruises. After talking with him, I visited their Discovery Team site, and scrolled down to see his picture and bio. Being the proud mama that I am, I am sharing that here, so if you’d like to check it out, just click here!
Favorite #10
Big Eagle and I spent New Year’s Eve night just the two of us, and we actually really had a good time! After a dinner of chili served Frito pie style, we spent the evening watching a little TV, noshing on snacks, and playing a few rounds of a couple of different games. We actually played that Parks game three times! We had two Christmas crackers left over, so we popped those. It was after 1 in the morning before we went to bed! Yeah, that’s a big deal for us. In previous years when it’s been just the two of us, we rarely have even made it to midnight.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
